Automatic coupler for mine cars



Dec. 2, 1941. c HUMPHREYS' 2,254,801

AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR MINE CARS Filed July 29, 1940 Church 6. HumphreysATTORNEYS WITNESS Patented Dec. 2, 1941 AUTOMATIC. COUPLER FOB, MINECARS Church. G. Humphreys, Volant, Pa., assignor of one-fourth to FrankBarczyk, Volant, Pa.

Application July 29, 1o40, Serial No. 348,194

. 3 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in car couplers.

An important object of my invention is to provide an efficient andefficacious coupler which may be easily applied to a car and which isparticularly adapted to be applied to mining and like cars which areoperated under conditions where it is often necessary to couple adjacentcars when the same are disposed on a sharply curved portion of thetrack.

Another object of my invention is to provide a coupler which is uniquelyconstructed so as to be automatically placed in coupling positionregardless of the angular relation'of the bumpers of the cars to becoupled.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a coupler of theabove-mentioned character which includes mean for locking the coupler inpositionand means for manually simultaneously releasing the lockingmeansand uncoupling the said cars. I

Other objects and advantages of my invention, will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

-'In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein likenumerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view' illustrating fragmentary portions of theadjacent mining cars, which portions are provided with a coupling meansembodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1, and showing parts in section and parts in elevation, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coupling lug andsupporting bumper embodying a part of my invention. 7

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals l and IIdesignate bumpers carried by and extendin longitudinally of adjoiningcars, fragmentary portions of which cars are shown at [2 and I3. Thebumper I0 is here illustrated as extending forwardly of the car l2 andthe bumper II is illustrated as extending rearwardly of the car I3, thebumpers being attached to either the body of the car or to thesupporting framework thereof. 7 The coupling lug I4 is mounted on thelongitudinal axis of the bumper II and is in the form of an upstandingblock, the outer or front edge of which is arranged flush with the outeredge 20 of the bumper. The edge 20 is arcuately curved in plan toprovide a convex bumper face and the lug I4 is formed on an attachingplate I5 that is bolted to the upper face of the bumper II. The lug issubstantially square in plan except for the outer edge thereof which,together with the corresponding edge of the plate I5, is shaped tofollow the shape of the edge 20 of the bumper. In side elevation the lugis of substantially triangular formation and the inclined front face Itof the lug slopes from the outer edge of the bumper to the upper edge ofthe vertical rear wall Hand the side faces l8 and [9 thereof inclinefrom the side edges of the lug to substantially the longitudinal centerthereof Each of the front and side faces provides a surface adapted tobe engaged by the complementary movable part of the coupler, whichmovable part projects forwardly of the car to be coupled and rides alongone of the faces in a manner to be automatically disposed in couplingrelation therewith.

The bumper I0 carries the mentioned complementary movable, part of thecoupler. A wear plate 2| comprises a U-shaped metallic member the endweb 22 of which is arcuately curved to conform to the forward edge 23 ofthe bumper and the upper and lower sides 24 and 25 of the plate aredisposed in embracing relation therewith. The sides are received withinrecesses cut into the upper and lower faces of the bumper so that theouter surfaces of the wear plate will extend in contiguous relation tothe upper and lower faces of the bumper. A clevis 26 of substantially ofthe clevis embrace the wear plate so that' friction developed betweenthese parts by pivoting of the clevis about the pin 21 will not effectwear on any parts of the bumper.

The latch 3| includes a supporting member 32 which is provided with ashank 33 riveted, or otherwise secured, to the top flange 29 of theclevis. The pin 21 extends upwardly through aligning openings in theclevis, wear plate and bumper and the extending end thereof is receivedby an aligning opening in the member 32, the retaining nut 34 beingthreaded thereon to support the said member as it pivots about the pinwith the clevis. The portion of the shank 33 eX-' tending forwardly ofthe pivot pin is formed with an eyelet 35 which receives the bailportion 36 of the ring 31. The bail is formed at opposite sides of theeyelet with radial flanges 38 which engage the sides of the eyelet toprevent lateral movement of the bail. The portion of the bail extendingthrough the eyelet, however, constitutes a journal which permits thering to have an independent vertical movement relative to the clevis.The bar 39 underlies the ring forwardly of the eyelet and normally holdsthe ring in a horizontal position, the bar being carried by and movablewith the clevis so that the ring may be freely swingable laterally withthe clevis without disengagement of the same from the bar.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the-bumpers I and II on the oppositeends of the cars are arranged in horizontal alignment whereby movementof the bumper III in the direction of the bumper I I will cause theforemost portion of the ring I8 to engage the inclined front face of thelug I4. Continued advancement of the bumper ID will cause the ring toride upwardly on the face until it extends beyond the rear wall I1, atwhich time it will drop into coupling engagement with the lug asillustrated by the full lines in Figure 2. The coupling of the cars maybe effected in the above manner when they are arranged in longitudinalalignment with each other;

however, it is frequently necessary that the cars be coupled when thecars are riding upon a sharply curved portion of the traclr. Under theseconditions the longitudinal axes of the cars are disposed in angularrelation with each other and, if the clevis 26 is in a neutral orcentral position with the ring 31 extending directly forwardly thereof,the ring will approach the coupling, lug at one side thereof and fail toengage therewith. I have, therefore, provided an arrangement forautomatically positioning the ring in coupling relation with the lugregardless of the angular relation of the cars to be coupled'with eachother. If the angle between the cars is such that the ring 31 fails toproperly engage or contact the lug I4, the ring will pass beyond the lugand edge 20 of the bumper II will engage the adjacent end wall of theclevis 25. Continued advancement of the bumper will, therefore, causethe clevis to pivot about the pin 21 and the ring 31 will be movedlaterally with the clevis. The lateral swinging of the ring will causethe same to engage the confronting side face I8 or I9 as the case may beand, as the clevis continues to pivot, the ring will be caused to rideupwardly on the contacted face and to drop behind the rear wall I1 inlatching association with the lug.

Obviously, it is immaterial from which side the bumper I0 approaches thebumper II. If it approaches from the right, as illustrated in Figure 1,the ring will project laterally of the face It and engagement of theclevis with the outer edge of the bumper II will move the clevis to thedotted line position to cause the ring to ride upwardly on the face I8.Conversely, if the bumper I0 approaches from the left, the ring willproject laterally of the face I9 and engagement of the clevis with theedge 'of the bumper II will cause the ring to be swung laterally aboutthe pin 21 where- 'by it will ride upwardly on the face I9.-

Any suitable latching arrangement may be provided for retaining the ringin latched association with the lug I4. I have here illustrated thelatching means as comprising an upstanding support 40 spaced rearwardlyof the wall I1 of the lug I4. An actuator bar M is carried for verticalsliding movement by the support and the lower end thereof is formed witha right angularly extending foot portion 42 normally received within aslot 43 in the bumper II and extending from the rearward end of the lugI4 to adjacent the rearward end of the bumper II. A supporting bracket44 is positioned rearwardly of the bar H and the lug 45 extending fromthe rearward edge of the bar engages the upper edge ofthe bracket tolimit the downward movement of the bar.

The latch element 46 includes arms 41 pivoted to the support by the pin48. The arms extend forwardly and downwardly from the pivot at an anglesubstantially equal to the angular rear face I6 of the lug I4 wherebythe arms will comprise, in effect, upward continuations of the face. Thehorizontal arms 49 integrally connect with the downwardly inclined arms41 in slightly rearwardly spaced relation with the lug I4, whichhorizontal arms extend-in embracing relation to the support where theyare joined by a transverse member 50 which bears against and issupported by the lug 45.

The latch mechanism is provided with a manual releasewhich comprises anarm 5|, the middle portion 52 of which is journaled within the bearing53 carried by the rearward end of the car I3. The portion 52 is adaptedto rotate about a horizontal axis and the end 54 thereof extendsforwardly at one side of the bearing and terminates in an eyelet 55which pivotally receives the ring 56. The ring passes through an openingin the upper end of thebar 4I so that when the downwardly bent end 51 ofthe rodis moved upwardly, the arm 54 will be caused to swing upwardlyand to elevate the bar 4I. As the bar is caused to rise, the lug willraise the transverse member of the latch element and cause the inclinedarm portions 41 thereof to be swung downwardly about the pivot 48. Afterthe arms have begun their downward pivotal movement to provide asubstantial space between the latch element and the rear wall I1 of thelug I4, the foot 42 of the bar will engage the portion of the ring 31extending rearwardly of the lug. When the bar is raised to the dottedline position illustrated in Figure 2 the ring will be positioned abovethe lug I4 to release the coupling connection between the cars. I

It is obvious that, when the cars are being coupled together, the ringmay ride upwardly on any of the inclined faces I6, I3 and IQ of the lulland that as the same moves to a position rearwardly of the lug it willrest upon the forwardly extending arms 41 of the latch elements. Thering is subtsantially heavier than the latch element in a manner wherebyit will overbalance the same and be permitted to drop into lockedengagement therewith. It is to be understood that the form of myinvention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferredexample of the same, and that various changes in the size, shape andarrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of my invention, or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a coupler for joining two cars, each of which cars is providedwith extending bumpers formed with convex meeting ends, an upstandingcoupling lug mounted on one of the said bumpers, said lug having aninclined end wall and upwardly convergent side walls, a clevis mountedfor pivotal movement about a vertical axis on the it is mounted, catchmeans for engaging the said lug fixedly mounted on the clevis andmovable therewith but having a portion which is independently swingableabout a horizontal axis and which portion normally projects beyond thebumper on which it is mounted, the end wall of the clevis beingengageable with the end of the bumper carrying the coupling lug when thebumpers approach each other to pivot the vertically swingable portion orthe catchmeans into register with the said lug whereby the said catchmeans may move into locked engagement with the lug by traversing the endwall thereof when the bumpers are in substantial alignment or bytraversing either of the side walls of the lug when the bumpers are inangular relation.

2. In a coupler for joining two cars provided with bumpers extendingtherefrom and having convex meeting end walls, a lug fixed to one ofsaid bumpers and having upwardly inclined front and side walls and avertical rear wall, a. clevis pivotaliy mounted on the other bumperabout a vertical axis and having an arcuately curved front end wallformed on a greater radius than that of the end wall of the bumper onwhich it is mounted, catch means fixedly mounted on the clevis to becarried thereby. and a vertically movable ring included in the catchmeans and normally projecting outwardly from the bumper til upon whichthe clevis is mounted to traverse either of the inclined walls of thelug to lock the ring to said lug when the lug carried bumper contactsthe clevis.

3. In a coupler for joining two cars provided with bumpers extendingtherefrom and having convex meeting end walls, an upstanding couplinglug fixed to one of said bumpers, said lug having an inclined frontwall, a vertical rear wall and upwardly convergent side walls, a clevis.

. mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis on the other bumperand having an arcuate curved end wall formed on a greater radius thanthat of the end wall of the bumper on which the clevis is mounted, acoupling ring. fixed to. said clevis to be carried thereby, saidcoupling ring being independently swingable about a horizontal axis andnormally projecting outwardly from the bumper upon which, the clevis ismounted for disposal about said lug to lock the ring thereto, wherebythe cars may be coupled when the longitudinal axes of the bumpers are inalignment by movement of the coupling ring along the inclined front wallof the lug, and whereby the cars may be coupled when the axes of thebumpera are disposed in angular relation by reason of the fact that oneside of the end wall or the clevis will be firstengaged by the arcuateend of the lug carried bumper to pivot the clevis for causing said ringto traverse one of the convergent side walls of the lug.

' CHURCH G. HUmHREYS.

